Step 1: Put A Lock On Your Password - Keep It A Secret

Create a strong, complex passphrase/password

Have trouble coming up with a password that's complex enough to be secure but memorable so you don't have to write it down? Try using a passphrase! Think about it this way: a passphrase is a phrase or sentence from which you can generate a password. For example, the passphrase “I have money for two pizzas” becomes the password “Ihv$42pz”. Using a phrase as the basis of your password makes it harder to crack and also means you're less likely to forget it.

Visit NUIT's Web page about secure passphrases/passwords to learn how to make your passphrase/password secure.

Never share your passphrase/password with anyone

Sharing your NetID passphrase/password puts your personal information and the NU Network at risk. It provides access to your financial information, your grades, and all the resources of Northwestern’s Network.

Keep in mind that it is against NUIT policy to share your password with ANYONE, even your parents. If someone uses your NetID and passphrase/password, and violates University policy, you could be held accountable.

Memorize your passphrase/password

Your memory is the safest place for your password, not a scrap of paper or a computer file. The piece of paper could be found or the computer file compromised–your memory cannot. That’s why it’s important to use a passphrase that you’ll have no trouble remembering.

If you forget your passphrase/password, call 847-491-HELP (4357), or reset it online with your previously set PIN number or security question/answer. After a reset, change the password immediately to something you can remember. If you do not have a PIN or a question/answer combination, you must bring your WildCARD to the NUIT Support Center on the Evanston campus.

Log out completely, especially on public computers

You're studying in a friend's room and need to check your bank account before you go to dinner. Great, you've got money and are good to go! But did you remember to log out of your bank's Web site? If you forget to sign out of your accounts (bank, e-mail, CEASAR, etc.), you're giving the next person to use that computer access to your information

Anytime you use a computer that doesn't belong to you, including those in computer labs, coffee shops, or libraries, take an extra moment to be sure you've logged out of anything that could contain personal information.

Continue to Step 2: Stop Malware